


Shadow Trail

by Amethyst_Moon



Series: it's a long way to walk [13]
Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: Gen, Halt has 2 apprentices, Lost Heir of Nihon-Ja, lost heir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-20 05:15:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 2,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8237381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amethyst_Moon/pseuds/Amethyst_Moon
Summary: For a child lost at sea, Kumori had a surprisingly good life growing up. If not for the different language and missing out on years of lessons and tutors needed for ruling a country, he could almost believe that he was still in his birthplace of Nihon-Ja. But he wasn't, and becoming one of those 'Rangers of Araluen' would allow him to sneak off as fast as possible. Now he just had to wait for a promotion to a 'full' Ranger and ditch this place.





	1. Choosing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not in chronological order.

Baron Arald smiled. He glanced at the greatly reduced group of children waiting for Craftmasters before him. “And that leaves us with two more candidates.”

 

The Craftmasters (except Halt of course, he noticed), their new apprentices and Will all started at the additional figure beside Will. “Kumori!” he exclaimed, “When did you get here?”

 

“To make sure you don’t do anything stupid,” a soft voice floated out. The Ranger noticed he didn’t answer the question, “You’ll be disappointed if you go ahead.”

 

Will grew angry. “What do you know?”

 

“More than you think...” Just as Kumori arrived, he disappeared.

 

Baron Arald sighed.  _ And she didn’t even get a Craftmaster. _ “I apologize. That was Kumori Higurashi, another orphan -- or so he claims. We don’t know much about him: just his name, that he came when his vessel shipwrecked when he was around five years old, and he is not from Araluen. He also, as you have seen, appears to be trained in stealth; I have also observed him practicing... other skills. But carry on, Will.”

 

Said boy took a deep breath. “Battleschool please, my lord.”

 

* * *

 

The piece of paper was so tempting!  _ Just look at it, read it and go, _ he told himself.  _ That’s all _ . He stretched out a hand for it.

 

A hand shot out of the darkness and seized his wrist.

 

Will flinched. His heart leapt into his mouth and he found himself looking at his shadow, “Kumori! Why are you following me around in the dead of the night?”

 

Kumori blinked. “You are my ward, I will always protect you to the best of my ability. Be quick, I shall await you in the dorms.”

 

He bowed towards the shadows before leaving. The Ranger sighed -- there goes his stealth mission. “Well? Aren’t you going to read it?” he asked the frozen boy.

 

Will opened the message with shaking hands...

 

_ The boy Will has the potential to become a Ranger _

_ I will take him as an apprentice. _

_ Do not worry about Kumori. _

 

**What?**


	2. Northolt

The next morning, Will packed his small amount of luggage and made for the cabin at the edge of Castle Redmont’s territories. Once inside the forest however, he became aware of hooves landing softly behind him. Just then, a patch of darkness blew past him at a speed he could not hope to compare with. It was barely a minute later that he arrived at the Ranger’s cabin to see the elder lounging outside with a shadow at the clearing’s limits.

 

“Sir - ”

 

“Lazy boy, aren’t you? Your friend here has accompanied me since before dawn.”

 

“Sir, what does a Ranger actually  _ do _ ?”

 

“He doesn’t ask pointless questions, for starters. Ranger  _ apprentices _ , however do the housework. There aren’t any servants that I see around here,” Halt gestured around, “The water bucket needs refilling, the pans need scrubbing, the blankets beaten, and the rooms have to be dusted. Get going!” Will scrambled into action. “And you can come out now. Your reason for being here is...?”

 

“Will is my ward, sir,” Kumori replied.

 

“But he is not the only reason,” Halt stated.

 

“No. I wish to further my archery and stealth skills. There were some things I hadn't the time to learn.”

 

“Who taught you at Castle Redmont?”

 

Kumori cursed himself silently for slipping up. He grunted a noncommittal answer before a letter caught his eye; it had the Ranger Corps’ logo on it. “What happened to Lord Northolt?”

 

“Hm? Oh, that’s odd.”

 

It so happened that Will overheard this last piece of conversation. He was a curious creature, you see, so the name of a lord was bound to be of interest. “What’s odd?”

 

“Lord Northolt is dead. Apparently killed by a bear last week while hunting.” Halt seemed to be off in his own little world.

 

“What’s weird about it? Bears do kill people from time to time,” a fist found its way onto the boy’s head - courtesy of Kumori.

 

“Idiot! Cordon Fief is too far west for bears. And Lord Northolt has to be experienced enough to know not to go after one alone if he’s a  _ lord _ . Sometimes I wonder if you’re worth all the trouble,” he shook his head. The raven hair shone in the sun.


	3. Broken

“Time you learned the weapons you’ll be using,” said Halt.

 

They had eaten breakfast well before sun-up and were now inside the forest. The Ranger was showing Will how to glide from shade to shade, and Kumori was following behind - he had already picked up the ability.

 

Soon, the trio stopped in a clearing and Halt dropped two small bundles to the ground.

 

While the official master and student were talking, Kumori opened one of the bags. There was a mottled green cloak, which he immediately swung onto his shoulders. Two knives were placed aside for later investigation. The last object, a small bow, received a glare of disgust.  _ Such a weak excuse for a bow... _

 

Halt looked away from Will for a second to see the other teen staring at the recurve bow as if it was a bug that needed to be crushed. “Do you think you can shoot that?”

 

The boy looked startled, as if no one had ever insulted his skill with the bow before. He picked it up without a word, notched an arrow and shot it off. It hit the target’s dead centre with a  _ thud _ . Kumori turned around and said, “Can I have a longbow?”

 

Will was gaping and Halt had a look of mild surprise. Not only had the arrow hit the target, the bow had a crack running down the middle like it was ready to break in half.

 

“You’ll have to make one,” Halt said at last, “I didn’t expect you to be able to  _ break _ a recurve bow.”

 

Kumori nodded.

 

“Later, though. Kumori, boy - I’m going to show you a Ranger’s knives.”

  
Will looked doubtful but Kumori beamed.  _ One step closer. _  “Yes, Halt-sensei!”


	4. Old Bob

“Hullo, Old Bob!” Halt called.

 

Someone moved within the hut with a clatter and a bong, then a wrinkled, bearded figure appeared in the doorway. He nodded his greetings to the Ranger.

 

“Morning, Ranger!” said Old Bob, “Who’s this?”

 

His eyes were keen despite his unkempt appearance.

 

“This is Will, my new apprentice. Will, this is Old Bob,” said Halt.

 

“Good morning, sir,” Will said politely. The old man cackled.

 

“Calls me sir! He’ll make a fine Ranger, this ‘un will!”

 

Will smiled at him. Dirty he may be, there was something likeable about Old Bob -- perhaps it was the fact that he seemed not to be affected by Halt. Will couldn’t remember seeing anyone speaking to the grim Ranger in this familiar tone before. Halt grunted impatiently before replying.

 

“Are they ready?” he asked. The elder just cackled again.

 

“Ready they are, indeed!” he said, “Step this way and come see them.”

 

He led them to the back of the hut, where a small paddock was fenced off. At the far side, there was a lean-to shed. Just a roof and supporting posts. No walls. Moments before Old Bob could let out a piercing whistle that would no doubt have made Will jump, two small horses trotted across the yard led by a pure black horse whose coat shone like a raven’s. A distinctly human shape sat on it with only a thick blanket for a saddle; their cloak fluttered out like wings.

 

“Bob!”

 

“Oh look, it’s Kumori.”

 

The larger of the shaggy animals immediately went to Halt’s side. He patted its neck and handed it an apple from a bin close by the fence. The horse crunched it gratefully. Halt leaned forward and said a few words into its ear. The horse tossed its head and neighed, as if sharing some private joke with the Ranger.

 

The pony waited by Old Bob until he had given it an apple to munch on as well. Then it turned one large, intelligent eye on Will.

 

It was some time later that Will was puffing, Halt was smirking, Old Bob cracking up laughing, and Kumori turning away to hide his sniggers.  _ Perhaps _ , he thought,  _ this country won’t be so bad after all. _


	5. Secrets

It was raining. Kumori was in the lean-to, looking after his horse; Old Bob came out from his hut.

 

“You don’t have to pretend, Kumori,” he said, “People 'ere are more accepting of women.”

 

“I know,” Kumori replied, “but I prefer it this way. I have much more opportunities presented to me now that others perceive me as male; I can protect, instead of be protected. You know I can’t let my training go slack, Karasu knows that as well. Perhaps later I’ll reveal my secret. Good night, Bob.”

 

And so Kumori left. Old Bob, however, didn’t. “I suppose you 'erd all that.”

 

Halt stepped out of the shadows. “Kumori is a girl?”

 

“She 'ides it well, doesn’t she? There’s a reason she carries bandages everywhere: she binds 'er chest with it. You wouldn' know from the way she speaks, but Kumori's a foreigner. It’s not a neighboring country, won’t say which either. Have you spoken 'er name yet?”

 

“She’s taken to adding ‘sensei’ after my name,” Halt said.

 

“That’s good, that’s good. ‘Sensei’ in her homeland means ‘teacher’, y'see,” Old Bob said, “she assumes you’ve accepted 'er as a student. Kumori's suffered enough, take care o' her.” With that, he returned to his dwelling. “Oh, by th’ way...”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Gilan might be good for her. Y’know, swords 'n all. 'Night.”

 

The Ranger was left staring after him. _Swords...?_


	6. Race

Will whispered in Tug’s ear:

 

“Do you mind?”

 

Tug whinnied softly. Kumori stepped into Karasu’s saddle and waited for Will to get on as well. As soon as he had, Karasu was whirled around.

 

“Lets have a race.”

 

“Wha--”

 

“To the treeline, over the fallen log, and back again.”

 

“Hey--”

 

“To put Tug through his paces,” he continued as if he hadn’t interrupted Will every single time he tried to put a word in edgewise.

 

“Don’t--”

 

“Ready, Go!”

 

“Wait--”

 

Tug shot off like an arrow underneath him, Will could barely hang on. It was as exhilarating as it was terrifying. The wind ripped past his ears, and he urged Tug to even greater speeds. They were almost to the paddock, now. Just a touch and Tug slowed to a trot, then a walking pace as Will maintained the pressure on the reins. He leaned forward to pat his pony on the neck.

 

“He runs like the wind!” he said breathlessly.

 

Old Bob chuckled. “Not quite as fast as Karasu here, though. ‘is speciality is the explosive dash -- sprint's like nothin' I've ever seen. He's got experience on ‘his side, too.”

 

Will noticed Kumori and Karasu standing, once again, next to Halt.  _ Why there? _

 

He spent the rest of the day getting tips on riding and looking after Tug from Old Bob, as well as the finer points of caring for the little Ranger horse.


	7. Disastrous

The fair was a disaster in Kumori’s eyes. Seriously! Leave those two for less than ten minutes and they get into a fight. He sighed. It would never have happened if he were there -- they wouldn’t dare face his wrath. Kumori repeated his action. Boys...


	8. Tracks

“Halt-sensei,” Kumori pointed when he got the Ranger’s attention, “what are those tracks?”

 

“Hmm,” he said thoughtfully, “Take a good look, both of you. There aren’t many around these days.”

 

Will swung down from the saddle and walked through the knee-deep snow towards the disturbance.

 

“What is it?” the boy asked.

 

“Wild boar,” said Halt curtly, “and a big one.”

 

Will glanced around nervously. Any big animal has the potential to be dangerous. Kumori’s reassuring hand landed onto his shoulder.

 

“He’s nowhere near us. The horses would be panicking if he was,” the other boy explained and directed his next words to the Ranger, “Halt-sensei, should I inform the Baron and Sir Rodney?”

 

Halt rubbed his chin. “Yes, I believe you should. They do love their boar hunts.”

 

Kumori made an awkward bow from horseback before turning back the way they came.


	9. Hunt

It was midmorning by the time Halt led the hunting party to the boar’s lair. The huge animal had found a dense clump of undergrowth deep inside the forest for a den. Halt and Will had found the hiding place just before dark the previous day.


End file.
